Unlink Apps you don’t want updated from Google Play Store (Root)

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There are often times a developer creates an awesome piece of software and then sells it to a big company who do not wait a moment to add malicious code, ads and bloat to it. Cheetah Mobile is notorious for doing this to many popular applications. So how do you prevent yourself from updating to bloated versions of applications from Play store?

Update: This method is now temporary and the apps re-link after reboot. We’ve found a new permanent method to detach apps from playstore.

So we are going to remove “ES File Explorer” from the Google Play Store. ES File Explorer was synonymous with Android File manager since the early days of Android. But in recent years, they have been adding bloat to their free apps to lure people to their premium alternative. There are reports that it is also sending usage data to their servers.

One of the ways is getting a signed version of the application from the internet that doesn’t link to the market. However, you have to trust on the vendors of these newly signed applications to act honestly and not include additional code. Another way is to learn to patch applications and sign them. If you are rooted, the easiest method would be to use Titanium Backup to unlink an app from the Google Play Store.

Requirements:

  1. Rooted Android Phone
  2. Titanium Backup

The steps are quite easy. Firstly you need to have Titanium Backup installed. After you allow root permissions on the app, search for the app you want unlinked from the Play store.

detaching app from play store

This is how ES File Explorer shows up in my Google Play Store update required section. Now onto Titanium Backup.

unlink app titanium backup

Once you find the application in the list, tap and hold it till you get a list of options. Choose “Detach from Market” option to make the app invisible to the Google Play Store.

app unlinked from play store

That is it. You no longer have to worry about getting annoyed with update notifications for the app you just unlinked from the Play Store.

There may be other simpler ways to do this. If there are any other apps that make this process simpler, please post in the comment.

 

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